Torts, part II

Said that “throughout the year, I made a ton of mistakes. … in-game decisions, lineups, it encompasses everything. The decisions I make, I don’t take back.” … he later said one of those mistakes, as an example, was when he put Anisimov on line with Callahan and Dubinsky early in the year, and the kid felt too much pressure.

Also said later that Anisimov cannot play on the fourth line next year, because he’s too good and because offense will be expected of him.

“You’ve got to be careful here. When you lose, you don’t just blow everyting up and cause more problems for yourself. I have a number of things that I think we need to fix here. I think people (in the organization) are going to ask me about a number of other things to fix that I’m going to fight because I just don’t think they need to be fixed. I think you can cause more problems for yourself when you don’t get in and you say, ‘We’ve got to change this, we’ve got to change that.’ Sometimes it’s just execution.”

Really dislikes talking about line combinations. “I don’t regress from that at all. When you’re having problems scoring goals and its just not working, as a coach, I’m going to try and find a way in my little world, of trying to get a combination (that works). That’s something I don’t come back off of. … if I didn’t change lines, things must be going pretty well.”

“I think I made a mistake in our last game by staying with our lines, because I was a coach in hope. I kept the Christensen line together; they were brutal. I kept the Jokinen line together; they were brutal. Dru and that line … I had defensemen play (well), I had a goaltender play our his ass, and a line played 16-17 minutes in Anisimov’s line. You’re not going to win. I look back at that and say I should have changed the lines, but I kept on hoping and hoping; hoping Erik would make a play or Gabby would make a big play.”

“I know it’s run wild out here that I’m just some sort of idiot that changes lines all the time, but I don’t agree.”

“Even before we went on a little run here, I still felt there were a lot of good things going on. I just look at it differently as far as … I just look at some of the development that was going on with the team and the core, and I liked what was going on. … I can’t just do it on the score of the game. I can’t just do it on winning and losing. Winning and losing is going to cost me my job. but it’s not going to change my thinking. I think a team is in development here. We may have expectations of being that team and winning it right now. I don’t think we’re ready to win right now, or get where want to be right now.

“So you better be careful of how you approach that process of going through it or you’ll spin into oblivion. … I’m hoping there’s a process that when you start winning, you’re going to win for a while. And that takes a process. And I think we’re in that process. I’m not sure if everybody agrees with me in the organization But that’s the way I feel about it.”

“I’ve talked to Glen about this. I’d like to see us get younger. I’d like to see us add to our core and grow together. And then we’re not adding 10 pieces this year. I think that’s important. I think Henrik’s at an important time of his career; I think we’ve got Gaborik who’s a legitimate star — I don’t like the way he has played in big games; I think he still needs to cross the line there and play better in big games. But we’ve got some pieces here. I think Rozsival has grown his game to be more competitive. So there’s some good things with the core. But I think we need to add to it with some youth, and grow it together.

“Then when you get there — and I may not even be here — to get to where you’re not fighting (for) 9 or 8 every year, you can be a legitimate good team for a while.”

“(It was) a lot easier in Tampa. In Tampa we were a young team that hadn’t won. It’s not an Original Six team. It’s not in New York City. The expectations weren’t as high, and so you’re allowed to grow, and we did. Did we know in Tampa we were going to win a Stanley Cup in ’04? Not a (firetrucking) chance. No chance. It just came together. But I think the greatest thing I take out of that was watching the process, the trip through. Not winning the Stanley Cup, but just the whole process.

“Do I think that can be done here? Yes I do. I think New York can handle that, myself, if it’s the right character people, if it’s a hard-working hockey club, and you live with some of the bumps as you go through there. I think New York can handle that. I do.”

Said he hasn’t discussed his own job … and took exception to the simple question.

sorry but there was nothing stopping Torts from keeping Redden on the scratch list. he backed down after redden threw a fit and put him back in. THAT was a huge mistake. it showed the other players that Torts was all bark, and of course it destroyed Gilroy, who had to play with that piece of garbage Redden.

after seeing that Torts mentioned Rozsi and how he grew into his game, i am wondering if he is going to do whatever he can to get Redden off this team. I agree with you db, Redden should have been scratched, we should have had that 7th dman available. I think they were way too afraid to go with so many rookies if they sat redden.

yes db, it leaves you shaking your head. he should be a 3rd pairing dman and not get the 20 plus minutes a game he gets. He’s too slow, not physical enough, and shies away from contact, though not as much as Redden

maybe thats the case MGB, and hopefully there is a taker out there somewhere, but if other gm’s look at game tapes, they may see what we see. He did get better as the year progressed, but too many turnovers, too slow. If he played less minutes it may not be as bad. With his suspect hips, we relied on him too much and he got beaten by swifter guys too often. But he’s better than Redden. I have never seen a defenseman shy away from contact as frequently as him.

I’m not a huge Torts fan, but he’s right about Gaborik needing to step it up in big games. Watching the last few games, when he played very well but didn’t carry the team, it made me think of Jagr and how he would basically will the Rangers into the playoffs every year, then come up with some huge goals once they were there. Gaborik doesn’t have that same ability to completely take control of the pace of a game.

well, hopefully Torts takes a lot out of this year and is more flexible with stuff next year, and, maybe the accountability issue will be more evenly spread out amongst the young AND the VETS, who truly deserved some splinters in their butts throughtout the season,DRURY INCLUDED!

I think the problem with Gabby was that in any situation the opposing D would just double up on him and we had no one else to rely on. So it was easy for teams to focus on Gabby and force other guys to beat them.

While I am not excusing Gabby, when a team doesn’t have a 1-2 punch and just has a 1 punch, focus on the 1 and the rest is easy.

How scary is it that Jody Shelley scored 2 of the last 6 goals the Rangers scored?

Interesting that Torts agrees with me on the Gabby and big game stuff I wrote yesterday.

Also I think it shows a bit in theese comments that the organization isn’t working, sounds to me that Torts doesn’t know if there is a plan, and what that may be any more than we do.

I like him standing up for himself and takes a bit of the blame. And the part about not changing everything (and everyone) this summer is the same as i advocate. Get rid of a couple (you know who) and add a couple, but don’t make it a 5-10 player carrousel. Let the team grow together and develop. If he can’t do that after saying it, he needs to go.

it was very telling that in the previous thread, Torts mentioned how the lockerroom became stronger after the addition of Shelley and Prust. If THAT statement alone is not damning of the inspirational abilities of the captain, i just don’t know what is.

The kids play hard cuz they have a chip on their shoulder, they have something to prove, and they play with passion. The Islanders last season played with practically their entire AHL lineup, and still won games.

These ‘entitled’ veterans get paid millions and millions, and some lost their heart. That’s why the should remember what college hockey is like, playing for pride in your school, and pride for your jersey. Wearing ANY NHL jersey is a privelige….. let alone an original 6 team.

I’ll take heart and passion over talent. ANY DAY. well you still need SOME talent :)

1) Fire Sather
2) Buy out Redden
3) Trade Rozival for a bag of pucks
4) Add a defensive coach to Torts coaching staff
5) Parrenteau needs to stay.
6) Drury, does not deserve to by Captain, it should be Callahan ( also trade Drury if possible, although unlikely)
7) Assistant’s should be Gaborik (Accountability) and Staal
8) Keep Prust and Shelley (most exciting hockey I have seen all season)
9) Suitable back-up for Lundqvist, who can help take pressure off
10) NO BIG CONTRACTS, bring up the kids and lets play fun hockey!!!

I was sitting back reading everything the last 2 days and just taking it in. After reading these comments from Torts and seeing his interviews all year I really think he has no clue on how to conduct an interview or follow through on what he believes to be the right thing for the team. Unless Sather was telling him what to do, Torts is looking like a rookie coach.